


Of Angels, Voices and Meaningless Numbers

by miyabimai (orphan_account)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/miyabimai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Age is just a number, and Sehun is an angel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Angels, Voices and Meaningless Numbers

"Sehun, please!" Joonmyun snaps, looking up at the younger.

"What?" Sehun glares back, brown irises almost orange in the evening sunlight shattering through the glass windows. "That ticking noise is irritating; I can't concentrate on my work."   
  
"It's just a pen, hyung." Joonmyun rolls his eyes, running a hand through already messy hair.  
  
"Do you have to tap it on the table so many times the-" Joonmyun's phone buzzes to life, distracting him.  
  
"Hello?" Joonmyun glances back at his laptop. “Oh, Kyungsoo, yeah, I’m almost down with the sheet, just ran into a few problems.”

“Kyungsoo.” Sehun mutters, slumping in his seat as he presses the pen tip to the blank on his worksheet, watching the ink bleed into the white.

“Dinner? Tomorrow?” Sehun looks up, and Joonmyun is staring at Sehun, eyes questioning.

Sehun can hear the buzz of Kyungsoo’s voice, and Joonmyun’s lips curve up at whatever was said.

He shrugs, gaze dropping back to his worksheet.

“Sure, is it okay if I bring Sehun? Then you can meet him too.” The phone clatters back on the table after more confirmations and Sehun bites his lip when Joonmyun lays a cool hand on the back of his neck.

“Look, I’m sorry, work has been stressful and I thought maybe bringing my work to accompany you would be good for both of us. I know you’re a little stressed too, with exams coming up soon.” His voice is soft now, edges shaved down and Sehun makes a noncommittal noise.

Joonmyun watches the boy continue on with his work, pen pressing too hard into the paper and he sighs.

Joonmyun makes sure to cook Sehun’s favourite dish for dinner.

Sehun makes sure to get into bed early without Joonmyun by his side.

 

₴

 

Joonmyun wakes up at 8, alone in bed, and he feels disappointment until he remembers that it’s still a school day, and Sehun should be in school by now.

He showers quickly, buttoning up his shirt before moving to hang his towel up. He frowns at Sehun’s still damp towel which was just barely hanging onto the towel rack, and he tugs on it until it’s hanging straight.

He pulls on his tie loosely for now, eyeing the clock. He enters the kitchen with full intention of just grabbing a slice of bread, stopping when he notices the coffee jug half full and toast waiting in the toaster, already buttered and pressed together with a slice of ham.

He steps closer, sliding the toast out on to a plate and was pouring out the coffee into a mug as he catches sight of the note sticky taped to the counter.

_I remember the dinner; don’t distract yourself by texting a reminder to me. I’ll be back home by four today._

_xSehun_

Joonmyun scoffs at the sign at the bottom. Who else could have written a note for Joonmyun in his own home.

Their home, he corrects himself, stuffing the last bit of the toast into his mouth and washing it down with the coffee. He straightens a teetering stack of textbooks and worksheets upright as he passes the living room table.

Joonmyun tugs on his shoes, glancing back up at the mirror that Sehun had hooked on the back of their front door.

 _Have a good day at work. Love you._ The bright blue note stares back at Joonmyun as he plucks it off the mirror to check his mouth for crumbs.

Joonmyun blinks at the smile on his face, not even sure when it got there as he looks back to read the note again.

_xSehun_

 

₴

 

"Hey."

 Sehun whines softly, burying his face into the pillow and tugging the duvet higher up to hide his face.

"Sehun-ah." Joonmyun chuckles softly, running his fingers through Sehun's ridiculously soft hair, for all the bleaching he does to it during school breaks.

"Tired." Sehun mumbles.

Joonmyun eases himself on to the bed, and like a magnet Sehun draws closer, lanky arms wrapping themselves around Joonmyun's waist. Sehun's furrows his eyebrows drowsily, resting his head on to Joonmyun's lap.

"Long day huh." Joonmyun starts combing Sehun's hair back into a sensible state as best he can, smile growing wider at Sehun's small nod into his shirt

"Sports day. We're senior already, why do we still have to attend that stuff?" Sehun complains, breath hot through Joonmyun’s shirt.

"Enjoy your high school years, you'll miss it."

"You sound like a dad." Sehun huffs as he sits up to rub at his eyes, ignoring Joonmyun’s tsk at the bad habit.

"I'm not that old," Joonmyun tugs on a strand of hair playfully. "But old enough to know you'll miss high school."

"Not as much as I miss you." Sehun smiles, the angelic smile Joonmyun likes to think is reserved for only him and Joonmyun knows he's forgiven for yesterday's small bicker.

"I'm right here though."

"I always miss you." Sehun tugs on his tie, undoing it while using it to pull Joonmyun towards him and Joonmyun follows.

The first press of his lips against Sehun's is always electrifying.

 Joonmyun is older than Sehun, four, maybe six years; Joonmyun has long forgotten the number. Sehun is the missing variable to Joonmyun’s unbalanced equation, the flavour that brightens an otherwise bland meal, the tempo that makes the energy of a song.

Joonmyun lived a life made out of a routine shaped by pure necessity and efficiency; Sehun threw a loop in that, reminding Joonmyun of the possibilities; dinner out on a weekday, sleeping in on Saturday instead of doing groceries, making out against the bar in a club on Tuesday night, sex that is anything but vanilla and far from bed at home or a comfortable hotel room.

“How did I pick you up again?” Joonmyun murmurs against Sehun’s lips, letting Sehun slide his tongue in, twisting his fingers into the short hairs at the nape of Sehun’s neck.

Sehun sucks Joonmyun’s breath out of him, pushes him back into the sheets and places hands by Joonmyun’s ears, and Joonmyun feels like it’s too warm with Sehun above him. Sehun obviously thinks so too, tugging Joonmyun’s tie off and busying himself with Joonmyun’s jaw, licking and then marking each spot with a kiss.

“You found me in a club, just watching me dance.” Sehun breathes into his ear, hips pressing down insistently against Joonmyun’s own gaining arousal.

“Underage.” Joonmyun gasps, the reason why he wanted to wake up Sehun fast slipping from his mind’s grasp.

“I think I picked you up, Joonmyun.” Joonmyun hisses when Sehun slips a hand down his pants, tugging hard and fast, the curl of his name passing over Sehun’s tongue making him jerk Sehun’s face back to his for another kiss.

“So young.” Joonmyun hisses, biting down on Sehun’s lower lip when he feels a nail run along his slit.

Sehun freezes, his sudden exhale blowing over Joonmyun’s face and Joonmyun half gasps at the sudden stop thinking he’s just being a tease, barely registering the change in Sehun’s expression before Sehun starts moving again.

Sehun drags his thumb along the vein of Joonmyun’s length and he jerks hard and fast, leaving Joonmyun breathless and unable to catch up. Joonmyun comes in an embarrassingly short time, breath caught in the back of his throat.

Joonmyun reciprocates when he recovers and Sehun’s eyes meet his expectantly, and Joonmyun rolls them over, and he tugs Sehun’s boxers down, twisting the base of his cock with his left hand as he licks the tip, precome already painting down the side.

Sehun’s hips jerk upwards without any resistance and he looks down to see Joonmyun watching him, eyes dark and expectant and Sehun lifts a tentative hand, threading his fingers through the short strands on Joonmyun’s head.

Joonmyun smiles around him, and then he slides off, dragging his teeth just lightly as he hollows out his cheeks and Sehun reflexively jerks again, shuddering. Joonmyun tugs on Sehun’s hand, licking his lips.

Joonmyun idly starts licking the tip again, light sucks and kisses and Sehun groans, the pleasure far from enough and he gives in, pushing Joonmyun down. He moans at the harsh tug when Sehun pulls him off and then back down again, hips jerking upwards and Joonmyun pumps whatever his mouth can’t reach.

It’s barely minutes before Sehun comes, and Joonmyun sucks him clean, and Sehun watches, hand falling away from Joonmyun’s hair, body equally lax.

Joonmyun surges up to kiss him, ignoring the stickiness in his own pants.

“You’re such a baby.” Joonmyun chuckles and Sehun frowns.

“I just don’t want to hurt you.” Sehun can taste himself on Joonmyun. “Plus I’m not that young.”

“Sur- shit.” Joonmyun freezes in exploring Sehun’s neck with his lips.

“What?”

“I was just supposed to wake you up to get ready for dinner.” Joonmyun gets off the bed, tugging his pants off.

“Wha- oh.” Sehun wrinkles his nose, watching Joonmyun toss his pants into the laundry basket.

“We have 15 minutes to…we need to shower.” Joonmyun woefully looks at his crumpled shirt. “There goes dressing semi-formal I guess.”

“Can I shower with you?” Sehun asks, shrugging off his own shirt.

“If you promise not to spend ten minutes making out with me, yes.” Sehun spins around, scandalized.

“I’m more responsib-“Sehun pouts at the playful smile that Joonmyun tosses him as he makes his way to the bathroom.

“Jerk.” Sehun continues pouting as he pins Joonmyun against the shower wall.

“I love you too.” Joonmyun slides past Sehun to get the shampoo. “Sit there, I’ll wash your hair for you.”

 

₴

 

“He’s a new client, Sehun, and his impression of the company will be somewhat related to me, please be nice.” Joonmyun whispers urgently to him as they approach the table, already five minutes late. “Best manners too, we’re a little late.”

“You were a willing partner in crime to make us be late.” Sehun whispers and Joonmyun flushes slightly, smacking Sehun lightly on the butt as he licks his swollen lips. He tastes the lip balm he put on to reduce the redness, a gross chemically manufactured lemon flavour and he smiles through the disgust, nodding at Kyungsoo.

“Am I overdressed?” Kyungsoo stands, tugging at his tie to loosen it slightly as he takes in the two of them.

Sehun pushes the left sleeve of his blazer back up, tugging at his tee to straighten it out before bowing slightly.

“I’m Sehun, nice to meet you.” Sehun tries to make his tone as pleasant as possible, softening his usual clipped tone that usually comes out with strangers. He glances to Joonmyun, who smiles, meeting his gaze, thankful for Sehun’s efforts.

“I’m still wearing a collared shirt, under my sweater, so no.” Joonmyun reassures Kyungsoo, tugging at his own collar peeking out from his sweater, even as Kyungsoo pulls off his own tie.

“I’m pretty sure you texted semi-formal though.” Kyungsoo laughs, a low chime opposite from Sehun’s airy tones and Joonmyun’s bright lilt.

“Joonmyun will never be able to wield technology.” Sehun pulls out Joonmyun’s chair for him, teasing, and Kyungsoo grins.

“I knew it wasn’t spell check that changed saved to fucked.” Kyungsoo comments breezily, and Sehun snorts.

“Nice to know you guys are getting along,” Joonmyun says. “At my expense.”

“Anything for you, hyung.” Sehun whispers, just loud enough for Joonmyun to hear as Kyungsoo waves over the waiter.

They order quickly, Kyungsoo suggesting a few dishes easily.

“So, how are you two related? Your younger brother, Joonmyun?” Kyungsoo starts.

Sehun opts to drink his water, leaving Joonmyun to answer. He watches Kyungsoo tip his head to the side at the silence, eyes scanning him.

“Complicated?” Kyungsoo says finally, and Sehun can tell he’s already figured it out, the glint in his eyes obvious.

“Boyfriend.” Joonmyun replies calmly, resting a hand on Sehun’s wrist below the table before it lifts away, Joonmyun’s phone buzzing.

“Excuse me.” Joonmyun leaves to take the call, smiling apologetically at Kyungsoo who waves him off.

“Ah. You hadn’t mentioned surnames so I assumed you were siblings,” Kyungsoo leans forward, his expression unaffected, arms crossed behind his empty plate. “What do you work as then, Sehun-ssi?”

“Student.” Sehun replies, amused that Kyungsoo didn’t even flinch.

“Ah, college?” Sehun hears the familiar expectation in Kyungsoo’s voice, and suddenly all the amusement is gone, washed away by something else, and Sehun doesn’t even notice the usual words leaving his mouth.

“Last year of high school.” He says, tight-lipped smile.

“Oh.”

They plunge into silence just as the waiters sweep over with plates of their food, and they don’t start, Joonmyun having not returned yet.

“That’s… quite young then.”

“Is it.” Sehun replies noncommittally, voice sharper than intended.

“You live with him then.”

“Permanently, yes.” Sehun starts to feel like he’s being interrogated, even though he should be used to this now, the questions all routine.

“Do you work part time, or-“

“Joonmyun preferred me to concentrate on schooling. I offered to teach middle schoolers dance with my friend, but he refused.” Sehun cuts him off, fingers pressing against the stem of his water glass tightly.

“He supports you then? No parents in the picture?” Sehun averts his eyes, pretending to scan the table setting, feeling the weight of Kyungsoo’s gaze on him.

“My parents are glad that someone is with me while they stay overseas to work.”

“Must be nice to have supportive parents then? Has Joonmyun met them?”

“Somehow I’m pretty sure my life has nothing to do with your work.” Sehun retorts childishly, unable to continue when he sees Joonmyun approaching them again.

“True.” Kyungsoo accepts the comment with easy grace, eyebrow quirking and Joonmyun sits back down, looking at both of them.

“What’s true?”

“That having Korean History as a compulsory subject for students is just plain propaganda.” Kyungsoo lies for both of them easily, lips curving into a pleasant smile.

“Oh, you found out he’s a student then.”

“Yes, I was just asking.”

“He’s quite mature for his age though, so I’m unsurprised you thought him to be older.” Joonmyun says, sipping his water.

“I’m sure.” Kyungsoo smiles, and it’s mocking, except only Sehun can see it. “Let’s eat.”

Joonmyun hums in agreement, and Sehun lets himself lean back into the chair as he starts on his plate.

He doesn’t look at Joonmyun in the eye for the rest of dinner.

 

₴

 

“Snob.” Sehun snarks once they’ve reached home, door safely shut behind them.

“Sehun.” Joonmyun sighs.

“He kept asking me patronizing questions like I was a young child.” Sehun hangs up his blazer, moving into the bathroom to wash up.

“You are young.” Joonmyun reminds him as Sehun drags his toothbrush across his teeth and Sehun brushes harder when the words reach him, moving aside to let Joonmyun wash his face.

“It’s over, anyway, and Kyungsoo didn’t seem to be adverse to our relationship.”

Sehun spits out the toothpaste, rinsing out his mouth. He straightens up, watching Joonmyun roll his neck slowly, sighing. He licks his lips, biting down on them as he pulls on a loose shirt and new boxers.

“What’s wrong?” Joonmyun asks, once they’re under the covers and shrouded in darkness.

Sehun looks into Joonmyun’s eyes, slightly lit from the faint glow of the nightlight in the corner, and he shakes his head. Joonmyun presses closer; cold feet knocking into Sehun’s ankles before he slides one leg between Sehun’s as he slides one arm above Sehun’s head and loops the other over his waist. Sehun rests his head right under Joonmyun’s chin, listening to the slow beat of his heart.

“Hey.” Sehun felt the bob of his adam's apple before Joonmyun’s voice reached his ears and he hums in reply, swallowing hard.

“What’s wrong?” Joonmyun repeats, arm bending at the elbow to run fingers through Sehun’s hair.

“Nothing.” Sehun says, wrapping his arms around Joonmyun, not caring that his arm under Joonmyun will be numb tomorrow.

“You sure?” Joonmyun still struggles to read Sehun, the boy possessing an innate skill to be a completely blank slate on the outside no matter what emotion he carried. “I know the dinner sucked, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not the dinner…I’m just tired.” Sehun lies, eyes slipping shut as he breathes in the scent of the green tea body wash that Joonmyun uses.

“Okay, sleep then.” Joonmyun’s fingers slow their movements in his hair, enough to lull Sehun to sleep.

And so Sehun sleeps.

 

₴

 

Joonmyun thinks that Sehun looks like an angel.

 

₴

 

Joonmyun needs to know what’s wrong.

“Sehun?”

“Yeah?” Sehun mumbles, glancing up for half a second before looking down to continue his homework essay.

“Nothing.” Joonmyun hears his name being called and he turns around to see an old client, one he had attended to before he left his previous company for the one he is at now, and he stands up, waving him over.

“Joonmyun, how have you been!” the guy crows, and Joonmyun smiles politely, sticking a hand out for shaking.

“Working hard, KE is a lot more demanding than Y&L.” Joonmyun realizes that he’s looking at Sehun, and he looks to his side just as Sehun stands up to greet the arrival.

“Good afternoon.” Sehun’s tone is still as flat as ever, far from his usual make of effort and Joonmyun lets it slip because it’s nearing exam period, and Sehun has been visibly exhausted. Joonmyun’s eyes trail over heavy eye bags and the uncharacteristic slouch of Sehun’s shoulders and he wants to push the boy into a bed and make him sleep an extra ten hours.

“Continue with your essay, Sehun, Mr So is just dropping by.” Sehun flops back into his seat, pen already back in his hand.

“Oh, who’s this?”

“He’s just my hyung.” Joonmyun’s mouth snaps shut at the rise of Sehun’s voice, and Sehun is still looking down, ink still bleeding into lines and lines of white.

The man squints at Sehun’s textbooks, nodding.

“Ah, tutoring a high schooler, is it? Well, I leave you two to it then. Nice meeting you again, Joonmyun.” Joonmyun sits back down, watching Sehun worry his lip as he pauses to think before writing more.

“What was that?” Joonmyun asks, taking opportunity at the lull in Sehun’s inner thoughts.

“He doesn’t need to know about us.” Sehun’s voice is still lifeless, not the natural playful rise and fall of his soft voice that he allows for with the people close to him, pen moving again and Joonmyun keeps quiet.

“What if I wanted him to?” Joonmyun asks again, and Sehun finally looks up, eyes flashing.

“You don’t need to.”

“There’s nothing shameful about this relationship, Sehun.” Joonmyun begins, thinking that Sehun was worrying again, triggered by the previous night’s dinner. “You saw it with my colleagues; they see nothing wrong with this.”

“I know that!” Sehun snaps and Joonmyun is amazed that his voice manages to be sotto voce even in anger.

“Then what, Sehun?” Joonmyun can only base everything off Sehun’s voice at this point, because Sehun has been shying away from him these past few weeks, he can’t even reach over now and wrap the boy in his arms and feel the thrum of Sehun’s heart against his own without Sehun shrugging him off with the excuse of having to study.

Sehun is silent for a moment, eyes scanning Joonmyun’s face. Before Joonmyun can try to read what is in those familiar brown eyes, Sehun averts his eyes, gaze falling back to his abandoned essay and he picks up his pen, scanning his last written lines before his hand is moving again.

“Sehu-“

“It’s nothing. I’ve just been tired, I just felt like he didn’t need to know.”

Joonmyun bites his tongue and accepts the answer as that for now, reaching for his now lukewarm mug of coffee.

“I’m not ashamed of this relationship though, so don’t worry.” Joonmyun pauses mid sip and peers at Sehun over the lip of his mug, and Sehun’s not looking at him.

He wants to ask Sehun to look at him, tell him straight in the eye that he’s not ashamed but Sehun suddenly flicks his fringe out of his eyes and Joonmyun remembers.

Remembers a seventeen year old boy telling him he didn’t need to seek approval from his colleagues for him.

Flicking his fringe out of his eyes and meeting Joonmyun’s gaze firmly and telling him that Oh Sehun isn’t ashamed of dating Kim Joonmyun.

Sehun is someone whose decisions are set in stone.

Joonmyun sets the mug down, reaching over to flatten the collar of Sehun’s denim jacket. Sehun shifts after, just barely, but Joonmyun notes how the movement slides the chair quietly across the carpeted floor further away from Joonmyun’s side.

Joonmyun stares into the dark brown of his coffee, throat tight.

What is it then.

 

₴

 

Try as he may, Sehun’s body betrays him in the dark of the night and in the shadows of early dawn. Joonmyun breathes in the scent of apple mint in Sehun’s hair, body finally relaxing as Sehun curls into him, arm tossed over Joonmyun’s waist. Joonmyun feels the slow drag of Sehun’s toes along his shin as Sehun unconsciously draws his legs up slightly in an effort to wrap around the heat source that is Joonmyun.

Joonmyun inches downwards just barely, enough to press feather light kisses across Sehun’s cheekbones, on the tip of his nose and brush dry lips with his own. He lets his palm ride the dip of Sehun’s waist, fingers carrying out a blind march along the broad stretch of Sehun’s shoulders.

He lets himself feel, lets himself take advantage of the heavy sleeper Sehun is to soak in the softness that is Sehun’s skin, admire the elegant curve of Sehun’s lips and the way Joonmyun’s own breath, always, catches when his eyes register how the dim light of the streetlights that filters in from the translucent curtains does nothing but make Sehun’s pale skin glow ethereal in the darkness of the room.

Joonmyun feels like he pales in comparison, even with all the compliments he received at Sehun’s age, that he looked charming, god-like, said one heavily crushing girl, Joonmyun remembers with a half-smile.

Joonmyun has always preferred angels.

 

 

₴

 

 

Sehun wakes up, eyes flying open as he shudders, most of the dream already leaving his mind. He finds himself curled up into Joonmyun, warmth wrapping them in the form of the duvet and their tangled limbs.

He licks dry lips, blaming it on the dry air from the air conditioner.

He knows it’s a lie, feeling Joonmyun’s incremental shifts, enough for Sehun to see his face, but not enough to detangle himself from his boyfriend.

 

₴

 

Sehun can still hear the hushed sceptical whispers taunting him.

 

₴

 

Joonmyun doesn’t know what to make of a phone call in the middle of an important meeting, one that is almost ending and one that is almost successful in winning over the client.

He slides his phone out of his pocket to minimize the buzzing, and his eyes land on the familiar number.

Sehun knows he’d be in a meeting till 6.

Joonmyun thinks it’s unimportant, probably a misdial on Sehun’s part because the boy has a bad habit of leaving his phone unlocked and touchscreen open.

He shuts it off.

What Joonmyun really doesn’t know what to make of are the other ten missed calls listed on his phone when he switches it back on, and four out of that ten is an unfamiliar number.

He dials Sehun first, only to receive the tinny voice of the operator informing him that the current phone is switched off.

“This is Kim Joonmyun, I believe I’ve received quite a few missed calls from you? May I know who this is?”

“This is Yonsei’s Severance Hospital, Mr Kim, your younger brother has been hurt back at your home when he was cooking, we’ve been trying to contact you.”

“I’ve been in a meeting… and I’m sorry, I don’t think I have a younger brother, only older, and he doesn’t live with me.” Joonmyun frowns, dropping his file on his desk and picking up his car keys from the drawer.

“I did find it a little strange that he has a different surname from you, but Oh Sehun?”

Joonmyun stiffens, hand clenched around the handle of his office door.

“Sehun’s been hurt?” He flings open the door, nodding at his startled secretary as he strides past her.

“Let me check again.”

Sehun has always been a careful cook. Joonmyun mentally groans as he watches the lift pass his floor before he can stab at the button, and he decides to take the stairs instead.

“It was a fire, Mr Kim.” Shit. Joonmyun nearly misses a step, and he barely remembers to reply the receptionist before he shoves his phone back into his pocket.

“I’ll be right there.”

 

₴

 

Joonmyun had to force himself to slow down, to follow the red lights and the green lights and keep to 60km/h, had to stop thinking of the negative and believe that Sehun probably just has a burn.

Joonmyun finds Sehun sitting in a ward, his whole right arm wrapped in gauze and a patch pressed against the left of his neck, half asleep. Joonmyun’s mouth goes dry, not expecting that much bandages.

Joonmyun’s gaze flits over every other part of Sehun, shutting his eyes in relief that the rest of him was unharmed. He distractedly thanks the nurse that excuses herself and he brushes Sehun’s fringe out of his eyes, and Sehun stirs.

Joonmyun lets out a huge breath, feeling his heartbeat finally slow when Sehun meets his eyes, and he curls a hand around Sehun’s chin, pressing his lips to the younger’s.

“Sehun-ah.” Joonmyun falls into the chair by his bed, relief hitting him right in the gut and Sehun sits up, panicky, and Joonmyun reaches up to rub at the swollen areas of his eyes, evident of his crying and Sehun jerks away, voice coming out shaky.

“I’m sorry, hyung, I was just cooking, but I fell asleep at the kitchen counter, it was the rice cooker though, it suddenly exploded and everything caught-“Joonmyun sits up straighter at the waves of emotions coming through in Sehun’s voice, the most he has heard in the past two weeks and Sehun just continues.

“I’m sorry for being irresponsible, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep, now your place is damaged, and what will people think of this, maybe your colleague was right, maybe I’m too young for you, too unpredictable and rash, I even interrupted your work, the nurse told me they used my phone to contact you, and I nearly panicked because I know you had an important meetin-“

“Sehun!” Joonmyun cuts the boy off, and Sehun promptly snaps his mouth shut, looking down and Joonmyun’s eyes widen when they see wet spots starting to dot the white sheets covering Sehun’s legs.

“Sehun, you aren’t a-“

“Don’t lie!” Sehun explodes, head snapping up to glare at Joonmyun, eyes already red and eyelashes wet with tears.

“I know I make life hard, I’m bratty and I demand too much and snap at you when I’m overwhelmed at school even though you don’t even complain about your work and you pay for everything I use and eat and make you go out on the weekdays even though you have work to do which isn’t fair because I get an extra three hours after school to finish mine and you don’t.”

Joonmyun still doesn’t know where this is all coming from.

“I don’t help you with anything at all, I can’t even help you relieve stress by talking to you about your work because I won’t understand a thing and I ignore you for the stupidest things and get you even more stressed- I’m useless to you, too _young_ for you.”

It hits Joonmyun then, and he opens his mouth only to shut it when a doctor slides in, face impassive.

“He’s ready to be discharged since he doesn’t have any serious injuries. He just needed someone to sign him out. The arm only received a light burn, but try to keep it out of the water for a while, and the neck patch is just to stop the bleeding from a cut he got. The painkillers will be making him a bit drowsy, but it’s only for today. That’s all.” The doctor rambles and Joonmyun doesn’t even get to thank him before he’s gone, and Sehun stands, waiting for Joonmyun to walk first.

Joonmyun firmly places his hand in the crook of Sehun’s left elbow, pulling him along. Joonmyun keeps Sehun by his side even as he’s signing Sehun out, and when they’re in the car, Sehun chooses to shut his eyes and sleep.

When he shakes Sehun awake, when Sehun enters the apartment, when Sehun slips under the covers of the bed, he’s horribly silent.

Joonmyun leaves the room for a while, making arrangements for repair of the kitchen, and he winces at the kitchen walls and the, true to Sehun’s words, rice cooker who was very visibly missing a lid and a few pieces of its body.

He locates the trash bags, cleaning up most of the mess before deciding that the renovators could deal with scorched walls. He sinks into the couch cushions, staring at the bedroom door.

Joonmyun forgets how young Sehun actually is, how young eighteen is. A teenager, young adult at best and Joonmyun hadn’t realized how self-conscious Sehun had been of that.

Sehun may be young, but he’s mature, so mature and important and Joonmyun thinks Sehun has misjudged himself completely.

 

₴

 

Joonmyun enters the room again at evening, watching Sehun shift under the duvet, and he knows Sehun has probably been awake for a while.

He treads quietly over to the side of the bed, crouching down and coming level to Sehun’s face, his eyelids still shut, and Joonmyun sees the tension in Sehun’s muscles as Sehun wills himself to keep his eyes closed and Joonmyun sighs, sitting on the bed right by Sehun, drawing his knees up to have his feet planted flat on the mattress for balance and he starts rubbing soothing circles into Sehun’s right shoulder.

“Does the arm hurt badly?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun seems to give up the act, and his eyes flutter open, but his gaze is pinned to the bedcovers.

Joonmyun holds back another sigh, not wanting Sehun to think he’s disappointed in him.

“You’re not too young, Sehun-ah.”

“Liar.” Sehun’s voice runs a shiver through Joonmyun, only because he’s missed it so much.

“You are young, but you aren’t too young, Sehun.” Joonmyun insists.

“For you to worry about being too young, about being my burden, that speaks volumes already. Age is just a number, _money_ is just a number and I make enough for both of us for now.”

Sehun makes to slide away but Joonmyun firmly plants a hand behind Sehun’s back, effectively pinning Sehun between his arm and himself.

“You write stupid notes all over my things in the pretence that you want to annoy me when you know it just makes me smile, you are my refuge after a hard day of dealing with demanding clients because you pick up their request files and read them out in the most pretentious voices you can muster, good enough to have me laughing so hard I get stitches and good enough for me to think you should consider acting as a career.”

Sehun is silent, but his hand is shaking as he raises it to push himself up a little, and now Joonmyun can see his face, wipe off the fallen tears.

Even when he’s crying he looks like an angel.

 “You drag me out at midnight to catch the water display by the Han River on the most random of days, convince me to skip dinner just to eat street food, all coated with enough sugar, salt or oil to make me puke but I eat it because you make it taste a hundred times better by feeding it to me, pouting my refusal away. Yes, you make my life a hundred times more unpredictable than it was before, and make everything so exasperating sometimes, but I like it Oh Sehun, I love it.”

Sehun’s eyes are meeting Joonmyun’s now, and so are his lips, as Sehun rises up only to fall against Joonmyun.

Joonmyun groans because of the weight on his legs, and also from the way Sehun is kissing him, harsh, desperate and singing unsaid words. Joonmyun cards his fingers through Sehun’s hair, lets him take his bottom lip into his mouth and bite down ever so gently.

“Are you convinced now?” Joonmyun murmurs against Sehun’s lips when Sehun finally stops, resting his forehead against Joonmyun’s. “Those people don’t quite know what they’re missing out.”

“Yeah.” Joonmyun shuts his eyes at Sehun’s voice.

“I’ve missed you, you big idiot.” Joonmyun breathes the words into Sehun’s mouth, moving to his jawline.

“I’m sorry.” Sehun’s breath hitches when Joonmyun burns a red mark into the pale skin with his teeth.

“No more sorry’s, baby.” Joonmyun chides gently, and he chuckles at the flush that instantly colours Sehun’s skin at the call.

“You haven’t called me that in a while.” Sehun manages, as Joonmyun rolls them over so that Sehun wouldn’t have to support himself on one arm.

“Baby?” Joonmyun tries again, just to see the embarrassed expression carve itself further into Sehun’s face, and Sehun nods, teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

“You’re so mushy, hyung.” Sehun whispers when Joonmyun starts peppering kisses over his face.

“I was telling the truth.” Joonmyun arrives back at Sehun’s lips, and he is pleased by the smile that graces Sehun’s pretty lips.

“You’re my angel, you know,” Joonmyun tells him, wiping the moisture from Sehun’s eyes and kissing him again, and god Joonmyun has missed having Sehun respond back to him.

“What?” Sehun sounds like he could hardly believe his ears and Joonmyun laughs.

“Too mushy?” He draws himself back up, watching Sehun contemplate.

“A little.”

“Deal with it.” Joonmyun grins, and Sehun huffs, but there’s only dried tears left on his face and a smile on his lips and that’s more than enough for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
